Rock Hudson Repented Before His Death

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

There's nothing wrong with having a sense of being unworthy.

There is something wrong with it. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. A feeling of unworthiness stems from self judgement that you can never meet a set up expectation. Chasing a carrot which you feel others have caught but you keep falling short. Yet, Jesus through His Holy Ghost gives us an overcoming power to be able to attain whatever Jesus has for us.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I know you need me to be insincere or having a deep seated psychosis, but honestly that's all I meant by that statement. No need to overthink it.

No, I didn't over think anything. I call'em like I see them. You have your perception of me whether right or wrong, and I have my perception of you, whether right or wrong. I just don't moan over your criticisms of me, like you do over my criticisms of you. But seriously, it is to the point of sticky sweet grossness when I hear a man behind a pulpit or in his religious writings how he cannot understand why God even deals with him. Well I got news for you, if that's your view of how God views you, He probably thinks why does He even deal with you? God most likely would like to pump up your testosterone levels a few notches.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me HEAVENWARD in Christ Jesus.

Do you? Do you really? By making comments on how you are a piece of work, one could only speculate what in heaven's name that means? How you don't understand Why Jesus even bothers with you? How most often you barely believe in yourself? That doesn't sound like pressing towards anything, but more like pulling to the side of the road. Yet, the real spoke in the wheels is how you make statements like your thankful for the truth of God's Word because it runs counter to your thoughts and feelings about yourself, and that gives you hope? Bro, something is up with that? One would have to ask what are you doing, or thinking which is contrary to the Word of God?

Frankly there is no way I would sit in a pew with my girls, and listen to that defeatism coiled around some display of hyper worthlessness. Bro, you don't need a pulpit you need an altar.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

John 5:48 means nothing because there is no such scripture.

I meant to type Matthew, but your just too infantile to figure that out from our discussions.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Wrong. The TRUE Gospel is good news because it's saying you don't have to work for anything.

Work for anything? You see that is how YOU and YOUR crew view God. You believe that a change in behavior is works, you focus more on the outside than anyone I know. Just upside down. If a new convert felt moved to wear a long dresses in your congregation and made the stupid mistake of telling you that God moved her to do it. You would with everything in you to convince her otherwise. Bro, don't make me laugh anymore than you have. Your idea of the True Gospel wasn't preached to the Gentile's in Acts 15:20? They were admonished to reject paganism. The adultress in John 8:11 didn't have your so-called True Gospel preached to her. She was admonished to "go" commanded to sin no more, not having to work for anything? Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Luke 7:47. I don't think its work to be married, I don't view what I do for my wife and children as WORK.
When I first met Sister Benincasa, the things I did for her wasn't ever considered work, and they are not work now. You are saved by grace, but you are judged by works Matthew 16:27, Romans 2:6, 2 Corinthians 11:15, 2 Timothy 4:14, Revelation 2:3, Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 2: 13, Revelation 2:19, Revelation 2:23, Revelation 2:26, Revelation 20:13. Those works which are judged are not performed out of vain human discipline, but out of love through the Holy Ghost. Jesus said a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit, you will know them by their fruits. Trees don't have to WORK to produce their fruit.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

It's not a treadmill. It's a walk and relationship with Jesus. Legalism is hard work. YOUR Gospel is bad news.

Wouldn't you be shocked to find out that you are the real legalist.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Paul said he was chief of sinners. Paul said he was a wretched man. HE said it, not me.

Yes, no doubt that Paul penned those words, but Peter penned these words for you; "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Sad.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I believe it shows the humility and meekness of a great Christian man, Paul.

Emphasis on YOU BELIEVE.

Thank God the Apostle Paul doesn't agree with you.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Jesus is THE WORD made flesh---ITS ALL ABOUT HIM!

Do you believe Jesus was saying that it was POSSIBLE to be perfect in this life? Do you believe perfection is possible in this life? Have you committed sins since becoming a Christian? Yes. Yes you have. More than you can count. If you say you have no sin, you lie.

Bro, you are your group focus on sin way more than any ultra con I have ever met in my Apostolic life. The sermon on the mount was not Jesus subtly pointing to Himself. No scholar, no theologian worth their salt ever made such a claim. But sadly I can only shudder that you have spewed such nonsense from your pulpit? Jesus was telling His people what He wanted from them. Matthew 5:3 says blessed the destitute in spirit. Was Jesus destitute in Spirit? Matthew 5:4, was Jesus' life filled with mourning, did Jesus need a comforter? Matthew 5:5 did Jesus need meekness? These verses are speaking of what men would NEED, not what men already had like Jesus. DB, sadly you are creating your own personal Idaho, where the theology spills out of the top of your head. You have a process in growth, some grow faster than others. Growth my friend, spiritual growth. You would think you would grow in your church, but sadly growth insist what you offer. Yeah sure you speak about pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. But then you do a flip flop and snatch away the prize and tell the congregants that it is only attainable when they are dead, buried, and resurrected. They will get a spiritual lobotomy when they are in heaven, all of a sudden they are mature..spiritually? Paul admonished in Ephesians 4:19-25 that the neophyte was to behave no longer as they did in their old lives, they must not sin. They must no longer lie to one another but speak truth to each other. Do you still lie Deacon? Do you on occasion will lie to your wife, children, friends, business partners, congregation? Revelation 21:8 says all liars will have their part in a lake of fire, not some liars, not just non Christian liars, but 100% of those who speak lies. Being perfect in this life is being full aged in Christ. Matthew 5:48 (not John 5:48 you big baby) has Jesus saying that all the verses before are part of a perfected life, and that we are to be fully mature as the "father" is fully mature. Paul wanted to continue to press and Paul held a high standard for himself. You on the other hand mock outer standards, but bro, you also condemn anyone who loves like Abel loved. Maybe you are like Brother Cain?

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Sheesh. This is like talking to my 85 year old aunt with dementia.

When I said Matthew 5-7 I was talking about CHAPTERS 5-7. Essentially the Sermon on the Mount. Not Matthew 5:5-7.[/

But congratulations---you've really framed a brilliant argument against someone debating three verses of the Sermon on the Mount with you. Archive it. I'm sure someone will materialize one day on AFF wanting to argue those verses with you. You'll only have to cut and paste!

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Jesus was saying if you're going to work your way to salvation---perfection is the only way. Jesus was subtly pointing to Himself. He earlier said that He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. He was going to obey every commandment, every statute, every law of the OT, living a life of perfection.

In fact,

the whole Sermon on the Mount ultimately was about Jesus

. Jesus is everything personified in Matthew 5-7.

DB, you are the only one in this discussion who seems to have dementia.

You may want to edit people's posts in glee, but you sure can't read.

You posted that Jesus was subtly pointing to Himself. You then went on to post that it was a fact that Jesus' sermon on the mount was ultimately about Jesus. This would mean that He wasn't speaking to His audience on what He would like for them but it was subtly pointing to just Himself.

I dealt with the Sermon on the mount, and those portions I felt you were dealing with.

I have dementia?

DB, it looks like your Christianity has been your way of escaping from what you were brought up in. It is the pendulum of extremes.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Who said anything about keeping the world? You mean if I enjoy a movie at the cinema, eat lobster tail, grow a beard, wear Nike shoes, swim at the beach, play basketball, go bowling, attend a Little League baseball game, wear Bermuda shorts, play Monopoly, and own a television I can't be saved?

Saved?

Bermuda shorts?

Wow, what you missed.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Jesus isn't obsessive-compulsive. Neither should we be.

This is the thing with your group. They 86 loving Jesus, and look at other people' life in God and label it obsessive-compulsive behavior. It that how you feel in love with your wife, your parents, built respect for your father, by living the relationship as OCB? May Jesus show you a more perfect way. It's about love relationship, not OCB with Christ. BEARDS, NIKE SHOES, HOLLYWOOD, and Bermuda shorts!!! You and your crew have your heads stuck in this stuff. To me, your journey in Christ is always on black ice.

Originally Posted by deacon blues

We can be saved, live lives of integrity and purity, enjoy the abundant life that Jesus gave us, and live securely that when we became children of God our Heavenly Father is committed to us and with us and in us. He guides us and helps us to make every day choices that lead us to living overcoming lives.

So, DB can you be complete in Christ in this life?

I know you are a flip flopper, but this above post pretty much sums it up.

Living overcoming lives means to overcome sin, not fretting about missing out on Bermuda shorts with two sticks of bone legs in orange Nike shoes.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

You mean just repent and that's it???

I'm beginning to rub off on you EB! Glad to see you coming over to our side!

Unlike you DB, I don't hold artistic license when it comes to the Word of God.

1 John 3:12

not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his WORKS were evil, but those of his brother, righteous.

Genesis 4:7

You will be accepted if you DO what is right. But if you refuse to DO what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."

What you and your group seem to miss is that repentance comes with change. Cain wasn't asked to say he was sorry, but to REPENT which has to have good works. Repentance is defined as sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections. Cain didn't want to change, he wanted to be able to worship without accountability for his works. Stinking thinking? Coming before the throne of God nasty as a bag of nails, but feigning love of God and of the brethren? Wearing Nikes (I have 4 pairs of shoxs) won't put you in hell. But unforgiveness will put you in hell, burning crisp. Not loving your enemy or brethren will get you a warm place for eternity. Cain hated his brother, murdered his brother because his own WORKS were evil. You are saved through God's mercy and grace. But, you are finally judged for the works you produced with that mercy and grace.

Contemplate this on the Tree of Woe.

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

DB, while you are basking over my typos and typing John instead of Matthew. You should notice that your above statement is a contradiction. Continuing in sin obviously means you are still sinning. But since your religion teaches that you cannot stop sinning you would continue in it? Right? So, think of it this way? You are the little boy who uses the yardsticks as light sabers, breaks them, gets forgiven by the nicer than Jesus deacon, and continues to break them as he gets older. Yet, since behavior is never corrected by a pat on the head. So, then you grow up breaking more than a yardstick. DB your form of religion just has one step, right into the pit. You are the leader who has nothing but empty sockets in your head as you lead your congregation straight into eternal destruction.

Christians sin after they become Christians. I don't know of a single Christian who has ever claimed they haven't. You won't answer the question I asked you. I'll ask again. Have you committed sin after becoming a Christian?

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

1 Timothy 1:13 Paul said he was formerly a blasphemer, a violent persecutor of the church. But states that he received mercy because I he acted ignorantly in unbelief? Those are mistakes he was admitting to as he was a worshipper of the one true God. Repentance was part of the OT way before there was a John Calvin, or Martin Luther. The Israeli had to repent for their ignorance, and their mistakes 2 Chronicles 7:14. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is how the Judean or Israeli stayed in communion with their God. This is why Rabbis laugh at what you believe. Not that I'm a big fan of Rabbinical Judaism, but you don't have the foggiest idea how their soteriology worked in the Old Covenant, or how the blood of the Lamb of God would precure their salvation in their future. You say of course that one should grow up in the stature of Christ, but then a few lines down you defend Paul as the First of all Sinners of the First Century Church? How do you reconcile First of All who Sin, with the Stature of Christ? You don't. You end up with something that people just listen to you pump that over a pulpit, get a glazed look over their eyes, while thinking "oh, well, I'm saved" Doesn't work DB.

Paul said he was chief of sinners. He was a great Christian but he never forgot what he was---a sinner saved by grace. There's no shame in admitting that. Walking humbly with God is pleasing to God. If it was good enough for Paul, it's good enough for me.

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

So, they are being told if they if they KNOW what the right thing is to do, and don't do it, it is sin? Which means that they can know to do what is correct and therefore not sin. Thank you.

Meaning the potential to sin is still within a Christian, and Paul's admonition would indicate that some were guilty of not doing good, thus sinning.

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

DB, so with all your dancing over typos you mean you can't read in context?
Bro, let's go with what you are saying here. You are teaching to your congregation not only that they should allow their children to break other people's belongings without correction. But also that the Apostle was an active wretch and first of all who sin? Both mean that he was actively engaging in sinning. Hey, bro, this is why what you believe is so bipolar. Out of one side of your face you say we "should" grow to the stature of Christ, and then you say that Paul couldn't do it because he was a wretch? You teach he was first of all who sin? Sounds more like Paul Washer than Paul the Apostle.

I take Paul at his word. He called himself a sinner, he called himself a wretched man. Ask Paul, he can answer for himself.

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Wow, that's great news, that's good news. Not what DB keeps flying up the flag pole and asking everyone to salute it. He wants everyone to focus on being hopelessly in bondage to sin. He wants you to believe that is your natural destiny. But one day after you die you can be free? Sadly Gnostic, and Hindu.

I have never said Christians are hopelessly in bondage to sin. YOU say I have said that. You are telling falsehoods about me. You are sinning as you type EB. Don't worry, you don't have to maintain the squeaky clean image to us who see through your hypocrisy.